Guru Amar Das Sahib
Guru Amar Das was born on the 18th of April 1509 in the family of (Mata) Lakkho and (Baba) Tej Bhan (1488-1533) at village Basarke (now Basarke Gillan), about 10 km from Amritsar. (Guru) Amar Das’s father Tej Bhan was the son of Harji (1463-1501) and grandson of Vishan Das (?-1500). According to another tradition, he is said to have been born in 1536 Bk (i.e. 1479 C.E.); it seems that some author mistakenly mentioned this date, because the Gurmukhi figure 6 might have been written as upside down, turning 6 into 3, hence the date from 1566 to 1536;1 and, this mistake by one writer was adopted by some more writers and then this mistaken date got established in some circles.2 Kesar Singh Chibber has clearly mentioned it in poetry, where rhyming would have different had the date been altered;3 hence the date 1566 Bk (1509 C.E.) is correct. Ram Sukh Rao in his works too has given this date (i.e. 1509).4
(Guru) Amar Das was married to (Bibi) Mansa Devi in 1532 at the age of 23; she bore him three children (Bhaani on 30.4.1534, Mohan on 11.3.1536 and Mohri on 2.6.1539. Some writers have mentioned that Guru Amar Das had another daughter Daani too, but it is not supported by earlier sources.5
Guru Amar Das was the son of a person who had been much under the influence of the Vaishano Brahmins; they used to visit their pilgrimage centres and perform other rituals as prescribed by the Brahmins. According to a tradition, (Guru) Amar Das had visited Hardwar (then it was known as Vishnu Duar) for about twenty times; once, when he was on his way back to his home, he met an udasi hermit with whom he had a discourse; during his conversation with him Amar Das realized that he had been engaged in mere ritualism and had not learnt anything of the real religion; hence he began thinking of finding some guide/mentor.
According to another story: one day, when he was standing outside his house, he heard the sound of a verse; he noticed that that was the voice of his niece-in-law (Bibi) Amaro who had been singing a hymn; when she finished the hymn, Amar Das asked her as to what she was singing; she told him that that was a hymn composed by Guru Nanak; he was so impressed that he expressed his desire to meet the composer; Amaro told him that he had passed away since long and it was her father who had succeeded to his mission.
This story seems to be a later concoction because it is not possible that Amar Das did not know about his nephew’s father-in-law especially at the time when he (Guru Angad) had already got a following of thousands of people, and, Amar Das must have joined the marriage party of his nephew to Khadur, the headquarters of Sikhism at that time. This story, however, indicates that Amar Das, who was simply a ritual-loving man, was turned into a believer in Nirgun-God.
It seems that after the marriage of his nephew, Amar Das began visited Khadur and had discourse with Guru Angad; he was so impressed that he spent several days at Khadur; and after this he was not the same Amar Das, for whom mere ritualism was religion; he had become worshiper of God, the Almighty, Omnipotent and Omniscient. Amar Das was so enchanted that he forgot that he had to go back to his village; Amar Das became one with Guru Angad and became a part and parcel of Guru darbar, and he spent the rest of his life at Goindwal. At Khadur, it was his routine to fetch water from a well6, to cook langar, to clean utensils, to clean the dharamsala and perform even menial jobs like a humble person; i.e. he spent his time serving the people and studying Gurbaani. Soon he was able to perform katha (exegesis) of Gurbaani; he spent next seven years of his life performing these duties.
Guru Angad was pleased with Amar Das because he had, grasped Sikhism in its real sense; and moreover, he was a good organiser, humble, service-loving, and a man of high
ethical qualities; so, in 1551, he decided to appoint him (Amar Das) as his successor-in-mission.
In 1552, Guru Angad passed away; after the cremation of Guru Angad, Guru Amar Das left Khadur and moved to Goindwal; at that time Goindwal was an important place as it was here that people would ferry across river Beas.
It is remarkable to note that new towns have always been founded and developed by the governments but it is unique in history that the Sikh Gurus too founded new villages and towns; the first to be founded was Kartarpur, by Guru Nanak, on the bank of river Raavi. Similar was the case of Goindwal; Guru Amar Das turned this small village into an important town. It seems that Guru Amar Das was a grand town planner;7 his first act was to dig a baoli (a deep well with downward stairs reaching water level), there, so that the problem of drinking water may be solved.
This baoli was built in 1556. It has, now, 84 steps (earlier the number was much less). Though the old baoli is still in existence but, now, it has been covered with marble, thus damaging the ancient look.
A false myth has been assigned to this baoli that one, who completes 84 reading of Japuji Sahib, a hymn (and one full reading by sitting on each stair); he will be liberated after his death; it is profany, and, it is against Sikh fundamentals. In Sikhism, no ritualism leads to liberation; a liberated Sikh is one who is free from the bondage of vices. Secondly, in Sikhism, there is no concept of liberation after death. Moreover baoli was built simply to fulfil the need of water and not for ritualism or pilgrimage (in Sikhism there is no concept of even pilgrimage or so-called holiness of waters or places). Another false propaganda about this baoli has also been made by some writers8 that the Guru had announced that the last rock over the water level in the baoli will be broken only when Akbar wins Chittaur fort (whereas Chittaur fort was captured on 13 February 1568, i.e. 12 years after the construction of the baoli). The Guru could not have blessed fall of Chaittaur (such a blessing or curse is against Sikh fundamentals). In fact, this was a Mughal propaganda aimed at sanctifying Akbar’s victory of Chittaur.
Guru Amar Das organised the Sikh sangats (congregations, communities, groups) in different areas of the sub continent; he divided the whole Sikh homeland into 22 dioceses (manjis, literally: cot/chair). He established 52 sub centres (peehras, literally mini cot/stool) too. Thus, the whole of the Sikh world was well-knit as an organisation. This meant easily spreading Guru’s messages to far off places and organising the Sikh offerings (of money and goods) in a system. Besides, the whole Sikh community became a big family.
Now, Guru Amar Das began holding gatherings of the Sikhs thrice a year (on first of Magh month of Bikrami Calender i.e. December-January and Visakh month i.e. March-April, as well as on the day of the Hindu festival of Diwali). He did not choose these days due to their so-called sanctity but because it was easy for people to know these dates as Bikrami Calendar was the only calendar in usage and the Brahmins would go to their clients to collect their donations on first of each month and the Diwali day and thus the Sikhs would know these dates. Secondly, the Guru selected these dates keeping in view the three seasons (there was no congregation during rainy days due to problem in travelling). In these three annual gatherings almost all the Sikhs would visit the Guru, discuss their problems, contribute to or get help from the common national fund (i.e. daswandh). It seems that the eighteenth century Sarbat Khalsa gatherings have their prototype in these congregational gatherings.
In order to create social equality and cohesion among the Sikhs, the Guru made sharing langar (sacred community kitchen) obligatory for everyone who would like to join Guru’s congregation. He ordered ‘pahile pangat pachhey sangat‘ i.e. first join pangat (literally: equal sitting) and then attend congregation.9 Langar was aimed at bringing an end to the feeling of
so-called high or low birth; it meant an end to every type of discrimination; complete end to the fear of inferiority complex as well as ego of superiority complex. Moreover, this realization of equality was not to be practiced in langar only, but it was to be a Sikh’s principle in every sphere of life and always. Not only this but other Sikh principles too were to be practiced in life.
In order to create feeling of ‘one family’, Guru Amar Das encouraged inter-caste marriages;10 the marriage of Matho and Murari as well as Bhai Sachan Sach created a positive impact on the Sikh society, especially the so-called backward classes.
Another remarkable role of Guru Amar Das was improving the plight of women: the first step in this direction was to ban the custom of sati (burning of widow on the pyre of husband), a cruel practice. This awful custom was very popular among the Hindus. The Guru ordered that no woman shall burn herself (or be forcibly burnt) on the pure of her dead husband; and, would rather be free to remarry and begin her life afresh. He said that woman was not a property of man but are a useful part of the society. (Later, Akbar too banned Sati. It seems that he might have been influenced by the Guru’s order because Akbar banned it at least one decade later; before that Akbar had visited Guru Amar Das Sahib at Goindwal and had a discourse with him).
Guru Amar Das banned purdah (facial veil) for females. In those days, the Hindus and the Muslims both used to treat woman as man’s private property. One day, when the queen of Haripur came to make obeisance to the Guru, she was wearing a veil. The Guru asked her to remove it; he told her that in Sikhism women were not a property of man; even a queen should be an equal partner of a king. The Guru himself appointed a female as the chief of a manji (diocese) and granted her the status of a missionary. Matho was perhaps the first Sikh female preacher; now women began equal participation in the Sikh movement.
In order to imbibe the spirit of unique identity among the Sikhs, the Guru organised the Sikh customary laws and formalized them. He issued instructions to strictly follow the Sikh code of conduct while performing marriages and death ceremonies/rituals, so that the Muslim and the Hindu rituals may not sneak into the Sikh culture. He told them that simply an ardas (prayer), seeking Waheguru’s blessing, was enough to perform a marriage. Similarly, he gave instructions regarding death customs (which have been recorded by his grandson Anand in his verse known as Sadd, which is a part of Guru Granth Sahib).
When Brahmins came to know about Guru’s instructions regarding rejection of the Brahmanic rituals, they became angry as it would mean bringing an end to their clientage. In those days some Hindu Rajput rulers had offered their daughters to Akbar and the other Muslim feudal and officials; hence Akbar had a soft corner for them. With this in mind some Brahmins approached Akbar who was, then, on his tour to Kalanaur and Lahore; they complained that the Guru was interfering in their religion. Akbar sent summons to the Guru to appear in his court; instead going himself, the Guru sent Bhai Jetha (later Guru Ram Das) to the court of Akbar. Bhai Jetha explained to Akbar that the Sikhs were a distinct religion and had nothing to do with the Hindus, and, the Guru had never asked the Hindus to shun Hinduism, rather he asked them to be real (practising) Hindus. Bhai Jetha further told Akbar that the Guru asks his followers, the Sikhs, to observe the Sikh way of life. Now, Akbar came to know about the truth, and he apologised to Bhai Jetha for summoning him and gave him nice farewell. On the other hand, he summoned the Brahmins and rebuked them for making a false complaint. Later, in 1571, Akbar visited Goindwal and held a discourse with the Guru.
Not only Akbar, even Adil Shah (1545-1553), the third heir of Sher Shah Sur, too had special regards for the Guru; it was he who had stopped charging jezia (tax on non-Muslims) from the Sikhs and acknowledged that they were not Hindus; thus accepting separate religious identity of the Sikhs. It happened in January 1553 when Guru Amar Das went on missionary tour towards Kurukshetra and Haridwar etc; and when he was asked to pay
pilgrimage tax, he told the officials that the Sikhs were not Hindu and nor were they going on pilgrimage (several Hindus too declared themselves as Sikhs and escaped paying tax).
Guru Amar Das Sahib composed several hymns also.11
Guru Amar Das served the Sikh Panth for 22 years as Guru and breathed his last on 1st September 1574.
Some stories, which have been concocted about Guru Amar Das
The Brahminic authors have concocted several stories about Guru Amar Das. Most of these are against Sikh fundamentals; hence they must have been created in order to distort Sikhism. Some of them are as follows:
1 1566 written as 1536 (3 and 6 can get confused when written upside down; similarly 6 and 9 of common numbers can get changed if written upside down by mistake).
2 It is interesting that everyone accepts the date of marriage and dates of the births of children of the Guru. Now, if we accept the date of birth as 1479, that would mean that he was married at the age of 53 and his three children were born when he was 55, 57 and 59 years old respectively).
3 Bansavalinama Dasan Patsahian Da:
Guru Amar Das janmay khat satth (i.e. 1566 Bk).
4 Jassa Singh Binod, p. 22, Sri Fateh Singh Parbhakar, p. 21.
5 Gini Gian Singh has concocted several such false stories.
6 Later, this well came to be known as Bibi Amaro Da Khuh; and it still exists.
7 When Jetha, later Guru Ram Das, founded Chakk Guru i.e. Amritsar, he did it under instructions from Guru Amar Das.
8 Santokh Singh (in Suraj Parkash).
9 Pangat did not mean having langar in a pangat (row) on floor but it meant sharing equal position in langar. It does not make any difference even if the langar is taken on floor or chairs or sofas etc but the principle is to share equal position, same food, served in same manner to everyone.
10 He encouraged inter-caste marriages, but did not make it obligatory.
11 Anand Sahib is one of his hymns and six stanzas of this hymn are read by the Sikhs before every ardas. For a comprehensive reading of this hymn, read Nitnaym: Roman transliteration and English translation by Dr Harjinder Singh Dilgeer.
[Dr. Harjinder Singh Dilgeer]